Diasciaxc3x97hybrida cultivar Codiap.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant, botanically known as Diasciaxc3x97hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Codiap.
The new Diascia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Diascias with numerous uniquely-colored flowers.
The new Diascia originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1998 of a proprietary Diasciaxc3x97hybrida selection identified as X96.121, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Diasciaxc3x97hybrida selection identified as X96.13.22, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Diascia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny by the Inventor in 1998, in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, on the basis of its numerous soft orange-colored flowers.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia since 1998 has shown that the unique features of this new Diascia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Codiap have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique charactertistics of xe2x80x98Codiapxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Codiapxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and compact plant habit.
2. Freely and continuous branching.
3. Numerous soft orange-colored flowers.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection X96.12.1, plants of the new Diascia are more upright and more compact in plant habit. In addition plants of the new Diascia and the female parent differ in flower color as plants of the selection X96.121.1 have pale pink-colored flowers.
Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection X96.13.22, plants of the new Diascia are more compact in plant habit. In addition plants of the new Diascia and the male parent differ in flower color as plants of the selection X96.12.1 have coral pink-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the Diascia cultivar Apricot Cherub, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Diascia were more compact and had flatter flowers than plants of the cultivar Apricot Cherub.
Plants of the new Diascia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Strawberry Sundae, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,488. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of the cultivar Strawberry Sundae in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Diascia were shorter and more compact than plants of the cultivar Strawberry Sundae.
2. Plants of the new Diascia had narrower and flatter flowers than plants of the cultivar Strawberry Sundae.
3. Plants of the new Diascia had soft orange-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Strawberry Sundae had bright pink-colored flowers.